Electrically heated snow remover



Jan. 18, F. R. WELCH ELECTRICALLY HEATED snow REMOVER Filed Oct. 24, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

. FZ d/ikia We/c/r 23 I HTTORNEY United States Patent ELECTRICALLY HEATED SNQW REMOVER Frank R. Welsh, Spokane, Wash.

Application October 24, 1952, Serial No. 316,585 1 Claim. (Cl. 37-46) This invention relates to a snow remover and more particularly to an electrically heated snow blade, it being one object of the invention to provide a snow blade having a heating coil disposed between a main blade or plate and a front cover plate, the rear plate or blade being very strong and formed of metal which is a good conductor of heat and will serve very effectively to melt snow or ice upon a pavement or roof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a snow remover wherein the main plate or blade has marginal extensions forming a shallow wall for a chamber or recess in which a heating coil is mounted, the coil being held in the chamber by a front plate which fits snugly about the main blade or plate and is removably secured by bolts so that it may be readily removed when repairs or replacement of the coil are necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide the blade of the snow remover with a shoe along its lower edge which is firmly but removably secured and is of such formation that snow will be very effectively scraped from a pavement or side walk during use of the snow remover.

Another object of the invention is to provide a snow remover having a handle serving as a conduit for a power wire as well as a handle, the handle being removably connected with the blade and braced so that it will not be liable to become accidentally detached or broken during use of the snow remover.

Another object of the invention is to provide skids which may be applied when the shoe-is removed and thus allow the snow remover to be used for removing snow from a tin roof or a shingle roof without damaging the roof.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved snow remover.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation with the front plate removed from the blade.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing skids applied to the blade of the snow remover instead of a scraping shoe.

This improved snow remover has a blade 1 and a handle 2 which projects rearwardly from the blade in such position and at such an angle that it may be readily grasped and the blade easily pushed forwardly during use of the snow remover.

The blade 1 has a main plate 3 which may be referred to as a rear plate, and upon referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that this plate or blade is formed of cast metal or an equivalent stiff material. The main plate or blade has been shown rectangular with its longest dimension extending horizontally but it will be understood that it may be square or any other outline desired provided it has a straight lower edge. Along its marginal edges the plate is formed with forwardly projecting flanges or ribs 4 constituting walls for a shallow recess or chamber 5' occupying practically the entire area of the front face of the blade.

In the recess is mounted a heating coil 6 disposed between sheets 7 and 8 formed of insulating material and serving as shields for the heating coil. Ends of the coil are connected with a terminal socket 9 which passes through the blade and projects rearwardly therefrom a short distance, as shown in Figure 3. A cover plate 10 formed of sheet metal, or other suitable material, completely closes the front of the recess and this cover has marginal flanges 11 which overlap edge faces of the blade in close fitting engagement therewith. In order to removably secure the cover plate there have been provided screws 12 which pass through openings formed 2,699,614 latented Jan. 18, 1955 through marginal portions of the cover and are engaged in threaded sockets 13 spaced from each other along the ribs or heads 4. As the cover bears against the insulating sheet 7 pressure is applied to the coil 6 and the coil is firmly held in its proper position in the recess.

The handle 2 is hollow and near its front end is formed with a side opening 14 through which passes a conductor wire 15 carrying a terminal plug 16 which is removably engageable with the terminal socket 9. When the outer end of the wire is connected with a source of electric current the coil will be energized and the blade heated so that during use of the snow remover ice and hard snow will be melted and thus allowed to be easily scraped from a pavement or roof. The handle has its front end screwed into a threaded socket 17 formed in a boss 18 projecting rearwardly from the blade, and in order to prevent the handle from being. broken or accidentally worked loose from the socket 17 there have been provided braces 19 formed of metal strips having front ends secured at opposite ends of the blade. Rear end portions of the braces are bent to form portions 20 secured against opposite side portions of the handle by removable fasteners 21.

During use of the snow remover it is necessary to permit a good scraping action to take place and in order to do so there has been provided a shoe 22 formed of strong cast metal and of channeled formation so that it may straddle lower marginal portions of the blade and the cover plate. This shoe has its lower portion formed with a forwardly projecting tapered portion 23 constituting a sharp blade for the scraper and as the under surface of the shoe is flat and unobstructed it may rest flat upon a pavement and have good scraping engagement with ice or snow as the snow remover is pushed forwardly. Bolts 24 which take the place of certain of the screws 12 are passed entirely through the lower edge portions of the blade and the shoe and when their nuts 25 are applied and tightened the shoe is firmly but detachably secured to the blade. If snow is to be removed from a roof formed of shingles or tin which is liable to be damaged by scraping action of the blade 22. the shoe 22 may be removed and a suitable number of U-shaped shoes or skids 26 substituted. These skids are spaced from each other longitudinally of the lower edge of the blade and as they have arcuate bridge portions presented downwardly they may slide across shingles or along a tin roof without catching and causing damage to the roof during a snow removing operation.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed is: A snow remover comprising an upright rectangular blade of stiff material having front and rear faces and a straight horizontal lower edge extending the full width of the blade. a forwardly projecting bead extending along marginal edge portions of the front surface of the said blade extending entirely about the blade and defining a recess at the front of the blade occupying substantially the entire area of the blade. a boss projecting rearwardly from said blade midway the width thereof and formed with a threaded socket open at its rear end. a tubular handle having its front end screwed into the socket of said boss, a heating coil in said recess. a terminal socl'et mounted through said blade above the handle receiving boss and to which the coil is connected, a conductor wire passing forwardly through said tubular handle and projecting from the handle through a side opening near the front end thereof and carrying a terminal plug detachably engageable with the rear end of said terminal socket. a cover plate for the recess at the front of said blade having marginal flanges removably secured across ed e faces of the bead, and a shoe of stiff metal extending along the lower edge portion of the blade the full width thereof and of the cover plate in straddling relation thereto, said shoe having a forwardly extending portion tapered foruardly along its upper surface and constituting a scraping e ge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,656,256 Wilson Ian. 17, 1928 2,110,985 Jacobson Mar. 15, 1938 2,536,844 Frederick et a1 Jan. 2, 1951 

